The Shadow Falls: Twilight
by Raziel
Summary: The sequel to The Shadow Falls. What happened to Raziel in his battle against Veeshan? Was Arorua avenged? What happened to Leylia, his daughter?


"I am a familiar!!! Not some stupid puppy dog!"  
  
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"Where you go from here is your choice, just know this once leave the confines of this city, you can not return."  
  
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"You have disappointed me once again Andregorous. You have no idea how much I have grown to loath you."  
  
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"You weaklings are no match for Nagi."  
  
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" How sad this realm is, that it's ruler abandons it with out a struggle."  
  
"Lord Caryoon! What are you doing with the invaders?"  
  
"Lord Caryoon!?! That's the way a servant speaks, that's not Queen Maoryani!"  
  
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"No! Non ancora. Sono il più forte dei draghi, io non presenterò a qualunque! Non!"  
  
"What did he say?"  
  
"No! Not again. I am the strongest of the dragons, I won't submit to any one! I won't!"  
  
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"..under the blood moon, two children forged of the purest light and blackest darkness  
  
shall been born. And they shall be known as the Dragoon, masters of Dragon Kind, the deciders of the fate of Norrath, the heralds of the Twilight."  
  
  
  
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It's been 18 years since King Tearis adopted me. He has been so kind to me. Treated me like I was his own daughter. Someone to fill in the gap in his heart over the loss of his true daughter Fironia. But I know I don't belong here. All you need to do is look at me and you can see I am not High Elf, I am far to dark skinned to be High elf or even a wood elf. But every time I bring up he just acts pained and then changes the subject. Who were my real parents? Why won't he tell me? I guess I will find out one day. In the mean time, I have lots to keep myself busy, training with the Rangers of Kelethin and all. You should have seen daddy's face when I told him, I wanted to be Ranger instead of joining the Paladin ranks. But I never really liked Paladins much; they always seemed stuck up and with no interest in anything fun. But that's just me. So much has been happening lately, and who knew how much would change when the gypsy festival came around?  
  
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There was much commotion in Felwithe today, because a group of traveling Gypsies had stopped inside to have a festival. The festival had the city in an uproar. In the city center some of the gypsies were performing a fire ceremony for spectators. One of the enraptured spectators was Leylia who was completely entranced by the gypsy's song. *(I am A Gypsy)  
  
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"What a great song. And they look so great dancing around the bonfire. It's almost as if they are one with it." Leylia looked up to the sky and saw that she was way past due back to the castle. "Drat! Just when it was getting good. Seems to be a fact of life .eh? puppy." The medium sized dog beside her barked in agreement. "Well let's go." Taking a last look at the gypsies, she dashes off to Felwithe castle hearing the gypsy's song die off into the night.  
  
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With darkness covering her, she quietly sneaks past the guards outside the castle and moves along the walls till she comes underneath her room. "Ready puppy?" The dog wags in agreement and is scooped up into her arms. Taking a deep breath she quickly bounds up the castle wall and lands inside her room through the window.  
  
"Hehe. That's fun. In and out with no knowing I was gone. The perfect crime puppy."  
  
The dog squirms out of her arms and begins to growl at something in the shadows, then relaxes and sits down.  
  
"Well, almost perfect Miss Leylia."  
  
"EEK! Caerdwill what are you doing here!?!"  
  
"Same as always" Speaks Caerdwill as he comes into view. "Trying to keep you out of trouble. You know your father does not like watching those gypsies. If it wasn't for the fact the villagers like them so much, he wouldn't even allow them inside out walls. They have a perverting influence, that detracts from our mother Tunare."  
  
"You have rehearsed that to much. You like them just as much as the villagers."  
  
The wise old elf smiles. "Keen as always Leylia. But seriously, if you do intend on sneaking out, don't take the dog with you."  
  
"Why not, he's always with me."  
  
"Not always. Your little friend has a tendency to sneak out around this time and go roaming around the castle. It's easy to tell when you're not here, because he is not roaming the castle."  
  
"Puppy" The dog, whimpers and gives her a sad face. "It's ok puppy" She rubs him on the head.  
  
"Now that you back. You should get some sleep. Tomorrow is your first day on patrol with the Rangers. You're going to need all your strength."  
  
"I'm too excited to go to sleep. All the training and waiting. I wish It was tomorrow already."  
  
"In some ways, I wish Tomorrow would not come."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"You're growing up so fast. Now you're going off on patrols with the rangers and it couldn't be a worse time. Poachers from Antonica have been sighted in huge swarms. And I fear for your life. Your father has lost one daughter already and it nearly killed him, if he lost you I don't think he could go on. A parent should never have to outlive their own child."  
  
"...Caerdwill..Can I ask you question and will you give me an honest answer?"  
  
"Certainly Milady"  
  
"Who are my parents?"  
  
"King and Lady Tearis of course."  
  
"Caerdwill...You said you would be honest. You can just look at me and see that I am not High elf."  
  
"Milady.. It is not my place to give you that information..But I can tell you this. You most certainly are High Elf." He stood up. "But that is enough talk about that. Go to bed or I shall knock you out with a wap to the head with my cane."  
  
Leylia stuck her tongue out at him. "Your a mean old man and shall come to a bad end."  
  
Caerdwill smiles and laughs. "We shall see Milady. Goodnight."  
  
"Goodnight Caerdwill." The door to the room closes. "And you stay put puppy." The dog whimpers and lies down.  
  
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"Hurry up already! Get those pelts onto the horses already!"  
  
"Quit your bellyaching Larses. We ain't got nothing to worry about. Those stupid wood elfs never come out this far."  
  
"Maybe, but still I want to get out of here. Something doesn't feel right today."  
  
"You worry to much Larses."  
  
"Maybe not! Stop right there and get your hands up!"  
  
"WHAT THE!?!"  
  
The two men quickly turned around and saw a young elven female perched in one of the tree branches. She had a bow nocked and ready, aimed straight at them.  
  
"I'll say it one more time. You're under arrest for poaching in Kelethin territory. Now get your hands up!"  
  
"And if we refuse?"  
  
"You're going to have a few extra holes! Now" She drew the cord back further "Get your hands up!"  
  
"Alright you win!" Both men started to raise their hands, but at that one moment one of them grabbed a dagger he had holstered and hurled in at her. Leylia leaped up into the air and the dagger sailed harmlessly underneath her. She then loosed the arrow and it planted itself firmly into the midsection of the dagger thrower just as she landed in another tree.  
  
"AAH!!!" The man screeched as the initial wave of pain hit him and he collapsed doubling himself over.  
  
"You little!" The other man wasting no time grasped his long sword and charged towards Leylia. Leylia paused for a moment then somersaulted forward and over the man dropping her bow and with drawing her swords.  
  
"Stand still!" his sword sailed over her head as the man blindly swung at her. He began to swing madly at her. Each time his sword swung harmlessly away. Then Leylia ended the battle with two slashes. One across hi arm and the second across his chest. His sword hits the ground with a thud and he follows, gasping in pain.  
  
"Puppy!" Her loyal friend comes out of the distance and guards the man who had been shot by her arrow. "Good boy!" Taking a few moments she binds their wounds, hog ties them and straps them on their horses.  
  
"You two are in for a long stay in Kelethin. Not bad for my first patrol." Leylia beams brightly, she couldn't wait to get back to Kelethin and tell of her first patrol. "HEEYAH!" She snaps the reigns on the horses and they begin to gallop towards Kelethin.  
  
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Something wasn't right, it was to early for cooking fires, and there was too much smoke even for that. What was happening? She cracked the reins harder urging the horse faster through the trees. And as she came closer to Kelethin, great streaks of yellow and red began to shine brightly through the clearing.  
  
Kelethin was under siege, but by whom? The orcs and goblins had been driven from Faydwer before she was even born? Who would attack the peaceful wood elfs again? As if to answer her, something flashed out of the corner of her eye. She leaped off the horse and saw a stiletto cut the steed in half, missing her by inches. She landed a few feet away from the to halves of the horse, which were still twitching violently.  
  
"Very well done girl! Let's see if you are as swift against me!"  
  
Descending slowly from above her was a winged man, holding some sort blade made entirely of mana. He was adorned in silvery armor and emblazoned into his breastplate was a claw encompassing a sphere.  
  
"Who are you! Why have you attacked these people!?!"  
  
"My name matters not, but know this, my master has sent me and others to destroy every mortal city that dares to ally itself with the children of the Twilight! Any one who tries to protect the children shall be crushed!"  
  
"What Twilight!?!"  
  
"You really are a stupid girl. But it doesn't matter. Prepare to die!" With that the man rushed forward and attacked. Leylia instantly drew out her blades and blocked his assault, her blades singing loudly as they connected against his. The mana blade whisked out at her and each time she avoided the man's attacks. Parrying a few more attacks she back flips trying to get some distance between her and his blade. But it was no good. Mana quickly filled the air and gathered around the winged man.  
  
"KAISER WAVE!" His arms glowed with mana and then slashed at her with them. Creating to large waves of energy with ripped through the earth and slammed into her.  
  
Pain shot through Leylia as she was soon engulfed by the attack. She could feel her body being shredded by the energy, she could feel herself being hurled through the air, all the while slowing being eaten at by the attack. Then more pain as she crashed into a tree and was still.  
  
"All too easy." The winged man turned back to the burning city of Kelethin. "Ahh, this will certainly prove my worth to.."  
  
"Hold it! The fight is not over."  
  
The man looked over his shoulder to see Leylia standing up. Mana was starting to flow to her.  
  
"Still some left in you? Let's fix that." He turned completely to her and raised his hand. A large wave of energy leapt from it. It encompassed Leylia but she did not flinch, she held her ground and rode the wave of energy. Then just as the wave began to die down, she rushed forward through it and planted a foot right into the winged man's face spilling blood every where. The man reeled and was driven back by several more kicks. The man crashed against one of the support pillars of Kelethin. He screamed in anger and took to the air. Leylia followed him into the air and they began to trade blows in the air faster then could be seen.  
  
In a moment it was over. Leylia drove a sword though his stomach and then kicked him to the ground. As he began to fall, mana began to fly to her in a large abundance. Channeling it to her swords, she dropped after him her blades aimed at his chest.  
  
"NOOOOOO!!!" She connected and an explosion ripped through part of Kelethin shattering it.  
  
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In a large blast crater below, what remained of Kelethin. Leylia groaned and painfully got to her knees. Her vision was blurred from wounds all over body, but what hurt her most was what she could see at the top of the crater. The winged man was still alive. Even more wounded then she, but still alive. Wings ripped, a leg and an arm shattered, the man was crawling up and out of the crater. She couldn't let him get away. She tried her best to stand but it hurt too much, and she collapsed, only able to watch him climb up to the top of the crater. Then for some reason he stopped. Then she could hear him talking to someone. The other person seemed to have an echoed voice, which comes from talking though a helmet.  
  
"M'lord.... Please help me!"  
  
"You have earned your fate. And now you shall die like the fool you are."  
  
"M'lord Please! I had no idea that a little girl could have so much power. I would never.."  
  
"Stop your whining and excuses. You should have known that an underling like you could have never win against a Dragoon."  
  
The other voice came into view. The man was reasonably tall, and he was completely covered in silvery armor. Shrouding his face was a silver mask with two horns. The man was also wielding a katana made of mana.  
  
"Your foolishness has cost us much, but even so it was hoped that you would not fail this task. You have disappointed me once again Andregorous. You have no idea how much I have grown to loath you."  
  
"M'Lord! Please own more chance! Please!"  
  
"This was your last chance." And with that the Silver-masked man beheaded Andregorous. Then the mana blade faded away and the man in the silver mask approached Leylia; he kneeled down beside her.  
  
"Consider this a small reprieve from your fate. Andregorous's arrogance and stupidity has saved your life. The next time we meet child of the Twilight, you will perish." With that he got up and began to walk away.  
  
"Wait! Who are you!?! "  
  
"I am called by my followers many names. But the last thing that is embedded on the lips of the fallen is Silver Mask."  
  
"Why do you want to kill me!?!"  
  
"Because it is your destiny to die." Silver Mask faded away and Leylia passed out.  
  
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End of Chapter 1  
  
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Author Notes  
  
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I hope you all loved the first chapter of my new story series. The Shadow Falls: Twilight. I hope none of you actually believed that I would leave a great story as this just hanging with a cliffhanger ending. That's just mean and evil. Like I would do something like that. :D As always post your thoughts and send any art to gdzks@yahoo.com. 


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